JS Deepak, the 1982 batch IAS officer has moved from the Department of Electronics and Information Technology.
In a reshuffle of top bureaucrats, JS Deepak has been appointed the new Secretary, Department of Telecom or DoT, as the central government preps for a spectrum auction expected to fetch it an astronomical 5 lakh crore.
Mr Deepak replaces Rakesh Garg, who shifts to the ministry of minority affairs. The 1982 batch IAS officer has moved from the Department of Electronics and Information Technology. Sources in the government said Mr Garg, who will retire in 10 months, had requested a "lighter assignment".
The department of telecom, along with the ministry of Information Technology, handle the Prime Minister's ambitious Digital India campaign.
The DoT also faces major challenges. Apart from dealing with the gigantic call drop crisis, it has to handle the auction of the 700 mhz band spectrum, seen as critical to the government's reform plans.
Mr Deepak brings to his new assignment critical experience. As a joint secretary with the telecom department, Mr Deepak had designed the hugely successful 3G and 4G auctions in 2010, which fetched the UPA government almost 1.05 lakh crore rupees.
The government is pushing for an auction soon; 700 mhz is considered the most efficient band, especially for data users and the centre hopes to reap 5 lakh crore from the auction, which will give it more elbow room to fund infra and social sector schemes.
The telecom industry, except for the Reliance-backed Jio telecom, has been lobbying for a delay in the auction claiming they are cash-strapped and not prepared.
10 new secretaries were appointed in today's reshuffle, which comes two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the implementation of cabinet decisions and policy at two crucial meetings with ministers and officials.
Shobhana K Pattanayak is the new Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare. The farm sector is under acute distress with two years of poor monsoon and sources said the Prime Minister's Office feels that the delivery of government initiatives needs a major push.
Today's reshuffle is an indication, said sources, of the government's efforts to improve delivery of its agenda.